Gas-generator



1, F. SMITH. GAS GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB- }I. 1919.

1,327,117. v Pat nt d an. '6, i920.

INVENTOR BY 7 W 1 ATTORNEY barren srarns rArENr o rio JOHN E. SMITH, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGN- MEN-TS, TO ALEXANDER J. BOYD, 0F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

GAS-GENERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

Application filed. February 17, 1919. Serial No. 277,515.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN F. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Generators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gas making devices; and its object is to produce apparatus of this character whereby hydrocarbon oil may be eiiiciently and economically con-- verted into an inflammable gas.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Figs. 3 and 4c are transverse sections through 33 and 4-4L of Fig. 1.

Referring to said drawings, 5 represents a gas burner having a transversely arranged chamber 6 communicating with the rear ends of two spaced longitudinal chambers 7. The walls of said chambers are preferably formed with curved upper portions 8, as shown; those of the side chambers 7 being provided with transverse slots 9.

Disposed above the longitudinal axis of the burner is a cylindrical vessel 10 or retort, as it will be hereinafter designated. Extending axially through said retort and beyond both ends thereof, is a tube 11 which is open at its front end and has its other end connected by a downwardly directed fitting 12 with the central part of the chamber 6.

The retort 10 is connected from below and adjacent to its rear end with a forwardly extending substantially horizontal pipe 13 disposed below the plane of the bottoms of the various slots 9. 14 represents an angle valve provided on pipe 13 in front of the burner, and is connected by a pipe 15 with a tank (not shown) containing oil under pressure or at an elevation to afford a suflicient head to feed-the oil into the retort against the pressure which obtains therein during the operation of the apparatus.

Connected to the top of the retort and adjacent its forward end is an upright nipple 16 which is connected by a T-fitting 17 and L-fittings 18 with branches 19 and 20. The branch 19 is connected to an angle valve 21 with a pipe 22 leading to a gas tank or reservoir, not shown. The other branch 20 is connected by an L-fitting 23 and a pipe 2% with a needle valve 25 disposed in front of the tube 11 and to have its discharge orifice 25 in axial alinement with said tube.

14 21 and 25 denote the hand wheels for regulating the respective valves.

For operating, the retort is given a pre liminary heating by burning a small quantity of oil in the space 26 above the burner floor 5 The valve h is then opened to admit oil into the retort 10 for the purpose of converting the oil into a vapor or gas. l/Vhen this is effected, the needle valve 25 is opened for the escape of the gas into the tube 11, thereby inducing the inflow of air which mixes with the gas to produce a combustible mixture. This mixture passes from the tube downwardly through connection 12 into the burner chamber 6, whereat it divides into two currents which flow into side chambers 7 to escape through slots 9 and is ignited to produce flames below and at opposite sides of the retort.

The heat thus generated acts to cause the retort to become sufficiently hot to distil the oil for the production of a gas which is drawn off to a gas reservoir when valve 21 is opened. By suitably manipulating the valves 21 and 25, the apparatus may be regulated to most advantageously distil gas from a hydrocarbon oil suitable for illuminating, welding and other purposes.

By the provision of a mixing tube 11 through which air passes centrally through the retort, the air not only tends to prevent the gas being generated in the retort from becoming unduly hot, but also raises the temperature of the mixture withinthe tube to a combustible condition.

In practice, the apparatus is desirably inclosed in a casing, which is not shown.

What I claim is A gas generator of the character described, comprising a burner having communicating rear and side chambers, slots provided in the Walls of the burner and vided on said outlet and disposed in axial 10 communicating With said side chambers, a relation With and in front of said tube.

retort disposed above the burner, an air-and- Signed at Seattle, Washington, this 8th gas mixing tube extending axially through day of February, 1919.

with the rear chamber of the burner, an oil supply pipe connected to one end of the Witnesses:

retort, a gas outlet provided at the other PIERRE BARNEs, end of the retort, and a needle valve pro- E. PETERSON.

the retort and connected from its rear end JOHN E SMITH. 

